Payments News

On The Web

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Global

Japan to promote e-payment with subsidies and tax breaks

August 21 2018

“Japan lags behind such countries as South Korea, China and the U.S. in embracing cashless payment, frustrating many visitors from abroad. It seeks to make cashless options widely available ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The government intends to draw up a plan by year-end to standardize payment methods using QR codes. Businesses that provide settlement infrastructure in line with […]
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Companies

Amazon And SoftBank Vie To Take Japan Cashless

July 30 2018

“The platforms offered by the U.S. online retail giant and the Japanese tech and investment powerhouse will require minimal investment by merchants. That approach is friendly to smaller businesses — a group that is estimated to account for about 90% of Japan’s shops — for whom obtaining specialized equipment is a heavy burden. Through local arm Amazon Japan, […]
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Global

QR Code Payment Specs in Japan Could Be Unified by Summer

April 1 2019

“The Payments Japan Association, a council on promoting cashless payments that includes representatives from the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry and the finance and information technology sectors, has announced standardized specifications. The specifications are being called “JPQR.” Currently, the multiple competing specifications have forced retailers to take time and make efforts. Standardized specifications will support […]
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Global

Mizuho to launch digital currency to promote cashless payments in March

January 3 2019

“Japan’s Mizuho Financial Group plans to introduce a proprietary digital currency that can be used for shopping and remitted at no cost, starting next March. Under the plan, retail shops using the currency will be charged fees significantly lower than for credit card services. The banking group aims to promote cashless payments by bringing about 60 regional […]
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On The Wires

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Companies

InComm Japan to Become Alipay Payment Processing Partner

September 28 2018

“InComm Japan, a subsidiary of InComm, today announced it will become a payment processing partner for Alipay (支付宝). With this agreement, InComm adds Alipay to the services it offers to merchants. InComm plans to further expand its payment processing portfolio both domestically and overseas”
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Companies

Paidy Announces Strategic Investment from Visa

August 24 2018

“Today, Paidy Inc. (“Paidy”), an instantly-issued post-pay credit provider, announced an investment from Visa (NYSE:V) as part of the company’s Series C funding. Paidy is Japan’s first instantly-issued post-pay credit service for ecommerce consumers. In addition, the two companies are partnering on new digital payment experiences that will give Japanese consumers more options when buying […]
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Companies

Alipay Seeks Japanese Partners to Strengthen Cashless Experience across the Country for Tourists before 2020

September 5 2018

“Alipay, the world’s leading mobile and online payment platform operated by Ant Financial Services Group (“Ant Financial”), today announced that it will collaborate with a wider range of local Japanese partners to build a cashless environment for tourists coming to Japan, in particular for the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020. This will allow the large […]